Iran reveals death toll from anti-govt riots

More than 3,000 people, including nearly 700 “terrorists,” have been killed amid violent protests, according to the Foreign Ministry

More than 3,000 people have been killed, and numerous public, military, and government buildings destroyed during the violent protests that hit Iran early this year, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said.

The mass protests, which began in late December, were triggered by an enduring economic crisis and the collapse of the country’s currency, the rial. The protests promptly grew political, resulting in around two weeks of violence across several Iranian cities. Tehran has blamed the unrest on foreign interference, namely by the US and Israel, as well as on armed “terrorists” infiltrating the ranks of initially peaceful protesters.

The unrest has caused massive damage across the country and resulted in at least 3,117 fatalities, Araghchi wrote on X on Friday. Some 690 of the victims were “terrorists,” while the others were civilians and security force personnel, he added without providing a more detailed breakdown.

Numerous public and private buildings, as well as military installations, were destroyed or damaged in the unrest, including some 350 mosques, 750 banks, 414 government buildings, and other property, according to Araghchi.  

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The top Iranian diplomat made the statement in a reply to US Vice President JD Vance, who had threatened American protesters with jail terms should they “storm a church or assault a federal officer.”  

The US itself has been gripped lately with protests against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, which has repeatedly been deployed to American cities by the Trump administration to search for illegal immigrants. Minnesota remains the epicenter of the anti-ICE unrest after an agent earlier this month fatally shot a mother of three who allegedly tried to run him over with her SUV. 

Despite the mass protests at home, the US leadership has actively cheered the unrest in Iran, repeatedly threatening military action against the country to “help” the protesters. Last Saturday, US President Donald Trump said he “convinced” himself not to strike Iran, refuting the reported pressure from Israel and several Arab states he had faced over the move. The US, however, has been continuing to move additional military assets to the region, including a carrier strike group.